Research & Education

What is Epilepsy?

Epilepsy is a disorder in which a person has two or more unprovoked seizures. Unprovoked means that the seizures are not provoked by a clear cause such as alcohol withdrawal, heart problems, or extremely low blood sugar. In other words, epilepsy is a condition of recurrent, unprovoked seizures. The seizures may result from a hereditary tendency or a brain injury, but often the cause is unknown. Many use the term “seizure disorder” instead of the term epilepsy because “epilepsy” seems more serious or stigmatized. However, almost all seizure disorders are epilepsy.

Epilepsy is a seizure disorder

A person with epilepsy has had two or more unprovoked seizures, regardless of seizure type. There are many types of epilepsy, depending on age of onset, types of seizure, EEG findings, family history, and neurological history, among other factors.